


Truth from Lies

by dracsmith



Category: Blakes 7
Genre: Episode Tag, Fix-It, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-08
Updated: 2013-11-08
Packaged: 2017-12-31 20:02:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1035808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracsmith/pseuds/dracsmith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tag for the episode "Deliverance," in which Travis showed genuine regret at Servalan's callous murder of the surgeon Maryatt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Truth from Lies

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the print fanzine Standard by Several 3 in June 1990.

Hastening through Space Command headquarters to commandeer a spacecraft for the secret mission to Aristo, Travis could not keep Maryatt from his mind. The amiable young medic had been kind to him when he was injured. He hadn't looked sideways at him with that curious expression, at once judgmental and terrified, that most people gave the infamous commander. Maryatt had saved his life, rebuilt his arm, offered to rebuild his face. Kept him company through the long, pain-wracked nights, chattering of his beloved wife and their joy at her first pregnancy. From the young man's words Travis had gotten the impression that she was stunningly beautiful; he was surprised when Maryatt proudly displayed a holo of a rather plain-looking girl. He realized that to Maryatt, she _was_ beautiful, just as, to Maryatt, Travis was a good man, worth saving.

And now Maryatt was dead, a pawn slaughtered and slandered by Servalan, and there was no one to see his wife as beautiful except the desperate men on some frontier planet. Her career there would be obvious; her life, brutal and short. His children would fare no better. A deserter's family was always exiled, unless. . . .

Travis was passing the Data Entry section when something occurred to him and he turned back. Entering the office briskly, he informed the receptionist, "I've got an update on a recent record change. Medical desertion. Which clerk do I see?" 

She pointed to the next room, where rows of workers were entering countless bits of information into computer terminals. "Operator Seven, Commander," she said deferentially. Despite his court-martial, Travis was still a figure best accommodated.

Operator Seven snapped to seated attention when Travis loomed over him. "I have additional information on the deserter Maryatt that was mistakenly omitted from the original report." The operator punched up the name. 

"Ah yes, the medic," he said. He paused, his hand hovering over the controls. "Last report says he was caught and executed. What's the addition, sir?"

Travis spoke coldly. "His wife turned him in. She informed of us his plans in advance."

The operator tapped in the information. "Excellent, sir. Shall I put her up for the Citizen Informant Award?"

"No," said Travis, "she said she didn't want any reward, that she was just doing her duty to the Federation as any good citizen should." 

"An example to us all, sir," said Operator Seven.

"Yes," Travis said, and paused. "It is her right, as a Citizen Informant, to request that the matter be classified. The official story will be that he died in a crash while on special assignment."

"Yes, sir," said Operator Seven, entering the request. Maryatt's family would not die, enslaved, on some cruel frontier planet; they would be honored citizens of the Federation. "Anything more, sir?"

"No. Thank you," Travis said stiffly, and left. 

As he strode once again down the corridor, he smiled sardonically, musing upon the irony of producing truth from lies.


End file.
